1 The burden of the Devar Hashem
against Eretz Chadrakh,
and Damascus its menuchah (resting place);
for toward Hashem shall be the eyes of man
as of Kol Shivtei Yisroel (all the tribes of Israel).
2 And Chamat at its border;
Tzor and Tzidon, though it be very wise.
3 And Tzor did build herself a matzor (stronghold),
and heaped up kesef like the dust,
and fine gold like the mire of the streets.
4 Hinei, Adonoi will cause it to be taken,
and He will strike her power on the yam;
and she shall be devoured with eish.
5 Ashkelon shall see it, and fear;
Azah (Gaza) also shall see it,
and tremble greatly,
and Ekron; for her hope shall be put to shame;
and Melech shall perish out of Azah (Gaza),
and Ashkelon shall not be inhabited.
6 And mamzer shall dwell in Ashdod,
and I will cut off the ga'on (pride) of the Pelishtim (Philistines).
7 And I will take away his dahm out of his mouth,
and his abominations from between his teeth;
but he will also remain to Eloheinu,
and he shall be as a tribe prince in Yehudah,
and Ekron like the Yevusi (Jebusite).
8 And I will encamp about Mine Bais against military power,
because of him that goes maurading to and fro;
and no oppressor shall pass through them any more;
for now I am keeping watch with Mine eyes.
9 Rejoice greatly, O Bat Tziyon;
shout, O Bat Yerushalayim;
hinei, thy Melech cometh unto thee,
tzaddik, and having Salvation;
ani (lowly, meek), and riding upon a chamor,
even upon a colt the foal of a donkey.[a]
10 And I will cut off the chariot from Ephrayim,
and the war horse from Yerushalayim,
and the battle bow shall be cut off.
He shall proclaim shalom unto the Goyim;
and His[b] dominion shall be from yam even to yam,
and from the[c] River even to the ends of ha'aretz.
11 As for thee also, by the dahm of thy Brit
I release thy prisoners
out of the pit wherein is no mayim.[d]
12 Return to the stronghold,
ye prisoners of tikvah (hope);
even today do I proclaim
that I will repay double unto thee;
13 I will bend Yehudah as I bend My keshet (bow),
fill it with Ephrayim,
and I will rouse thy banim, O Tziyon,
against thy banim, O Yavan (Greece),
and make thee like the cherev (sword) of a gibbor (mighty man).
14 And Hashem shall be seen over them,
and his arrow shall go forth as the lightning;
and Adonoi Hashem shall sound the shofar,
and shall march forth with storms of the south.
15 Hashem Tzva'os shall shield them;
and they shall devour, and subdue with sling stones;
and they shall drink, and shall roar as through yayin;
and they shall be full like a bowl,
like the corners of the mizbe'ach.
16 And Hashem Eloheihem shall save them in Yom HaHu
as the tzon of His people;
for they shall be as the jewels of a crown,
sparkling in His land.
17 For how great is its goodness,
and how great is its beauty!
Grain shall make the bochurim thrive,